Archive for March 2014

Badges workshop at ANU

March 22, 2014 Badges, Game Elements, Projects No comments
open badges anatomy

I was lucky enough to get in on a Badges lecture and workshop happening at the Australian National University (ANU) 20-21st March 2014. Here is what we covered, sprinkled with some of my own thoughts.

Day 1 – Badges Lecture – By Joyce Seitzinger

Joyce gave a great introduction about personal learning networks, and the importance of informal learning within those networks. Joyce engaged the class with a quick activity to map out individual use of online tools that can facilitate this process. This was all mapped to a matrix of degree of use (visitor to resident), and the purpose (personal to institutional). Here is mine as example. This exercise demonstrated how much I use the internet for one, but more importantly how much I learn informally, and how this shapes who I am, and the kind of leaner I have become.

We soon moved on to pathways of learning, and a desire to move towards a model that was less prescriptive. Allowing the learner to construct their own path and how badges may be key to drawing these diverse learnings together. Using examples of some insulated systems such as Duolingo and Code Academy as badge issuers, this shows how open badges could pull this all together. However, these example systems offered badges and recognition that was not transferable.

Learning Pathways

Towards the end of the lecture we got to badges, what they are, what they mean, how they can be used, and a discussion on trust economies. Joyce did drop that Mozilla are working on a app store concept for badges, something like their beginner badge earning offerings. I’m quite eager to see where this might lead. Since one of the flaws of that systems was identifying what options to earn badges were available, which in turn made getting started with your back just that little bit harder. It also has the potential to improve the MOOC space, just the about a catalog of courses across different systems gets me excited.

open badges anatomy

 

Day 2 – Workshop – By Joyce Seitzinger and Inger Mewburn

This was an opportunity to roll up are sleeves and start thinking about the design process for a badge. The attendees were split into three groups to think about how they might design a badge related to research skills. For this we worked through the digital me badge development guide. In all three cases is was hard to develop one badge in isolation without considering the eco-system. For example our Research Ninja badge end up being awarded after the learner had earned a number of other smaller badges that mapped to smaller tasks.

We also discussed a number of other projects, initiatives and examples, including:

It will be interesting to see what ANU do with this insignia project. The student me is jumping for joy at the potential for having informal learning recognized. However I have become very jaded having working the the Higher Education sector. I am aware that what I see now and the potential is not likely to the the tools I may well receive. If you are interested make sure you keep posted on the project here - Insignia project.

Back on the MOOC

March 6, 2014 Education, Online Resources, Research Journey No comments

I did feel a little disheartened after giving up on my last MOOC. I became a statistic, I dropped out. Though I feel like it was far less of a conscious decision to drop out, and more of a gradual lack of time in which to watch the video lectures and complete the online content.

I’m back! A couple of weeks ago I started a MOOC on Gamification. I actually started whilst I was away, so the initial time commitment to get through the first few modules increased the barrier to entry slightly. I got through it. We are now in week 7, which marks the halfway point. I am keeping up… just. There are quizzes most weeks, expect for those weeks that have a written piece of work due. Thus far I have completed 4 quizzes and one written piece, with the next written assignment due in five days.

Overall the experience has been pleasant. The peer assessment for the first written piece went well, with only one technical difficulty. I feel like I’m much more engaged this MOOC around. I find the content more engaging and the opportunity to see some of the other students work through peer assessment was interesting.

We have covered a number of topics:

  • Intro to Gamification
  • Games (and why they are important)
  • Game thinking
  • Game elements
  • Psychology and Motivation
  • Gamification Design Framework

With topics such as design choices, enterprise gamification and behaviour change still on the menu I’m very much keen to see this one through. I am slightly disappointed that they haven’t taken the opportunity to practice what they preach, by gamifying the course. A badge or leaderboard here and there may not be a bad thing. Though I have a feeling that the restriction may be less about their desires to , and more about the system limitations of the Coursera platform.

My journey to Mastery begins

March 5, 2014 Research Journey No comments

I got accepted to a Masters of Philosophy (Research), yay! I’m very excited. I was a little concerned, with some hurdles in my application process, in particular making it to the right people for review, I did have my doubts. I did however receive my letter of offer the Friday before orientation week. Nothing like cutting it fine UOW.

So I bounce along to the first part of truely being a postgraduate student… orientation. Orientation turned out to be a very lame affair indeed. While most of the morning was meant to be quick presentations, the morning dragged on. It wasn’t until speaker 5 or 6, that we actually saw someone with good presentation skills that was engaging. I did get some things from the day, including Planning you PhD and a free (bright orange) USB drive. So the morning wasn’t all bad. I had to skip out early to get back to work.

My first lecture for the require Research Methods subject is this Friday. I’m excited, but more so I’m keen to find out all the unknowns about the subject. I really do hope that I don’t have to cut down work too much. A girls gotta eat.

In preparation of my new lifestyle, because lets face it postgraduate study really is a lifestyle, I’ve been reading up about what to expect and such. A few colleagues have raved about The Thesis Whisperer, so naturally I’ve had a look. There are so many interesting posts, which I’m sure will become increasingly relevant. Much of the advice says to write lots, and read lots. So here we are, this is my attempt at writing lots.

Now, I’ll leave you with this. A gold nugget of the orientation day, and a light on the perspective of postgraduate students.